Northbrook, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Northbrook, IL Summary

Cost of living in Northbrook research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Northbrook is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Northbrook is 153, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Northbrook is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Northbrook ranks as the #320 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Northbrook ranks as the #5,771 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Northbrook is $668,286.

  • The median income in Northbrook is $155,321.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
153
Northbrook's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Northbrook, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Northbrook has an overall cost of living index of 153, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Northbrook has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Northbrook ranks as #320 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Northbrook ranks as the #16 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Northbrook, check out:

320 out of 336
In Illinois
5,771 out of 6,489
In America

Northbrook Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Northbrook. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Northbrook is 105.

  • The Groceries index in Northbrook is 105.

  • The Health index in Northbrook is 108.

  • The Housing index in Northbrook is 273.

  • The Transportation index in Northbrook is 106.

  • The Utilities index in Northbrook is 91.

Living Expense Northbrook Illinois National Average
Overall 153 97 100
Services 105 95 100
Groceries 105 99 100
Health 108 93 100
Housing 273 95 100
Transportation 106 102 100
Utilities 91 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Northbrook Cost of Living Vs. IL

Northbrook, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Northbrook is $668,286.

  • The Median Rent in Northbrook is $2,334.

  • The Median Income in Northbrook is $155,321.

  • The Home Value To Income in Northbrook is 4.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Northbrook is 0.18x.

Statistic Northbrook Illinois United States
Median Home Value $668,286 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $2,334 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $155,321 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.3x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.18x 0.21x
$668,286
Median Home Value
$2,334
Median Rent
$155,321
Median Income

Northbrook, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Northbrook Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Northbrook Illinois
Shampoo $1.27 $1.28
Movie $17.91 $12.13
Bowling $24.58 $18
Haircut $33.69 $24.26
Beauty Salon $53.44 $45.56

Detailed Northbrook Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Northbrook Illinois
Ground Beef $5.28 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.87 $4.67
Potatoes $4.9 $4.93
Pizza $13.41 $12.09
Beer $10.0 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Northbrook Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Northbrook Illinois
Optometrist $118.27 $125.68
Doctor $167.67 $135.78
Dentist $128.22 $113.29

Detailed Northbrook Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Northbrook Illinois
Gasoline $3.56 $3.46
Tire Balancing $70.87 $59.92

Detailed Northbrook Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Northbrook Illinois
All Electricity $148.58 $193.99
Phone $210.03 $192.25

Northbrook SnackAbility

10
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
9.5
Amenities
9
Education
10
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Northbrook

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Northbrook. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Arlington Heights, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 0.8x Northbrook.

  • Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 149, 1.0x Northbrook.

  • Elmhurst, IL has a cost of living index of 139, 0.9x Northbrook.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Northbrook
Arlington Heights, IL 76,220 124 0.8x
Glenview, IL 47,682 149 1.0x
Elmhurst, IL 45,538 139 0.9x
Buffalo Grove, IL 42,824 125 0.8x
Park Ridge, IL 39,241 138 0.9x
Wheeling, IL 38,495 108 0.7x
Highland Park, IL 30,229 148 1.0x
Wilmette, IL 27,550 164 1.1x
Lake Zurich, IL 19,727 127 0.8x
Deerfield, IL 19,185 148 1.0x

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